Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 161615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 539(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 539(@300wpm)
That was the problem with having a Tiger in the Dragon’s den—everyone wanted to pet her stripes.
So I did what any dragon would do.
I took my treasure and fled the world.
If I’d owned an empty volcano like Korin and his brother, I would’ve flown there with her—hidden her deep inside the molten heart of it, kept her safe where no human eyes could find her.
But all I had was this secret island, a smaller paradise.
It would have to be enough.
“This is so breathtaking.” Nyomi rested her head against my shoulder. The simple weight of her calmed the inferno roaring under my ribs.
I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent—black amber and plum.
All fucking mine.
Hiro had shared her laughter. Reo had shared her food. My guards had even tasted her kindness.
But none of them would have this.
Not the sound she made when she sighed into my palm.
Not the way her warmth melted against me when I kissed the inside of her wrist.
Not the part of her that reached into the darkness of me and stayed there.
Now we were suspended between worlds—the main island behind us where everyone wanted a piece of her, and my hidden sanctuary ahead where I planned to keep her all to myself for as long as the war would allow.
The helicopter dipped lower, and wind buffeted the cabin.
Through the window, I caught sight of the smaller island—my hoard’s hiding place.
The small, private beach curved in a crescent of bleach white sand. Dense forest rose beyond it, and at the center stood the elegant pavilion I had built years ago, a structure of black glass and stone.
Staff moved with quiet efficiency, finishing up preparations.
But my eyes caught on three figures standing apart from the others.
Oh no.
Three women in deep garnet uniforms, positioned near the base of the stone steps. Even from this height, I could see them clearly—Yuki with her hair in that perfect knot, Mami with her hands clasped at her waist, and Hina, the youngest, who couldn't quite contain her smile.
There, they stood with perfect posture.
Reo sent them here? Why? I hadn’t planned on having my Tiger meet them just yet.
As I stifled a sigh, I felt Nyomi shift beside me.
I glanced at my Tiger and found her staring down at Yuki, Mami, and Hina too. Her expression was calm, but I was learning her well enough now to read the subtle tension in her jaw and the way her thumb had stopped tracing circles on my palm.
Other servants moved around the property—men in black uniforms carrying supplies, women arranging flowers near the pavilion—but Nyomi's gaze never wavered from those three figures in garnet.
She turned to me. "Who are the women over there?"
"Those are my Scales."
“Just Scales?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes flicked back to the window, studying them as we descended further. "They look super excited to see you."
I found that fascinating, being that we were still pretty high up in the air. The helicopter banked slightly, giving us a better view, but the women below were barely more than elegant silhouettes against the white sand.
"Super excited? Tora, you can see that from here?"
"Maybe. . ." Her voice was soft, thoughtful. "Or perhaps it's just that women have a certain instinct about when other women are a little more eager to see the man that they're falling for."
"Falling for?"
"Yes." She met my gaze directly, no challenge in her eyes, just honesty.
I brought her hand to my lips again, kissing her knuckles slowly. "You've already fallen, Tora."
A smile ghosted across her lips, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Who are those women, Kenji? They’re not just Scales."
Her words hung in the air between us, heavy and laced with an unnamed tension.
A rush of protectiveness washed over me.
I could almost see the gears turning in her head, fitting the pieces together. Those words revealed the depth of her intuition.
She will definitely find the spy tomorrow.
The helicopter touched down with barely a shudder.
I looked back outside.
Reo, why did you send them to the island? Nyomi didn’t need to meet them now.
Through the window, I could see my three Scales waiting, their faces now visible. Yuki's smile was restrained but warm. Mami's eyes were bright with something I recognized—relief that I'd arrived safely. And Hina, brave little Hina, looked like she might burst from joy and start bouncing around with giddiness.
The rotors began to slow, and in that moment of relative quiet, I turned back to Nyomi. "Their names are Yuki, Mami, and Hina. They're my personal Scales. Attendants who have served me since they were girls and I was a boy."
Nyomi's expression didn't change, but I felt her pulse quicken beneath my fingers where I held her wrist. “They served you when you all were kids?”
"My father chose them when I was young. Hand-selected them from families loyal to ours." I kept my voice even, factual. "He had them trained in obedience, elegance, and devotion. He called them my little handmaidens."